For the Sake of Old Times
by danca.mach
Summary: Takes place after COTBP. Jack finds one of his old female friends in a place he would not expect her to be. And what will happen when Will, Elizabeth, and Beckett become involved?
1. Chapter 1

**For the sake of old times**

Jack Sparrow looked at the small island, glistening in the sea. He knew it very well; he was marooned here twice before. But this time, he returned here on his own free will. He didn't much like going back, but what the hell. Something remained on that island, on that God forsaken spit of land. It still wore signs of the little bonfire Elizabeth made there with the rum. _His_ rum.

"Lower the anchor, we're going to shore."

The crew lowered two boats and some of the pirates boarded them, while others stayed on the ship. Jack felt quite uneasy about stepping on this spit of land again, but on the other hand, there was also a bright side to this island. As he got off the boat, he immediately noticed foot prints in the sand.

'_Tis a deserted island, it's supposed t' be a deserted…_

"Cap'n, what's the …" Gibbs asked, but noticed the foot prints himself. Jack wind milled his hands to indicate silence and gestured to his men to follow him; only Pintel stayed with the boats, angry that Ragetti got to go and he did not.

The footprints ended under one of the half-burned palm trees. Someone was leaning against its trunk. The crew was just watching in amazement. It is supposed to be a deserted island. Ragetti's eyes were so wide with surprise that his wooden eye actually fell out. He picked it up, spat on it to get the sand away and put it back with a loving expression on his face. Marty stared in disgust and rolled both of his normal eyes to the sky. Jack was meanwhile edging closer to the apparently dead or asleep someone.

"Cap'n, should ya be…" Gibbs was the first to recover from the amazement, but was silenced by another of Jack's wide hand gestures. Jack came closer to the figure taking out his cutlass and removed the hat from his face. Her face.

Now it was time for Jack to show some real amazement.

_Could this be… no… it just can__'t be…_

Jack was rolling on the sand, his cutlass and his hat sent flying by a swift move that tripped his legs. The crew was still amazed enough to just stare and not help their captain.

"Jack Sparrow?! What the 'ell are ya doin' 'ere?"

Jack stood up and awkwardly brushed the sand of his clothes and put his hat back on.

"I'd thought that yer of all peoples would remember to call me _Captain_ Jack Sparrow." He said, angry that he had to pick himself up from the sand.

Jack's crew was still just watching amazed. They were sailing for a deserted island, which proved not to be deserted after all and a _woman_ was here, a woman that knew Jack and he knew her.

"Sorry, mate, s'been too long. Whatta ya doin' 'ere?"

"What're _yer_ doin' here?" asked Jack, finally aware that this is supposed to be a little deserted island. Instead, he finds _her_ on it.

"Don't remember, actually. Guess I were drunk." She smiled.

_No surprise there. _

"And apparently this island is popular." He mumbled. Then his thoughts were interrupted by her again.

"Anyways, now someone came after all these days to take me little self 'ome, right?" She said with a broad grin.

Jakc ignored her, because his eyes suddenly focused on a rum bottle that lay a few feet away.

"Where did yer get that?"

"Oh, this islan's a rum runners' cache. There's plenty. You'd like it 'ere, Jack. I'll let ya 'ave the rum if ya take me to shore." She said, smiling innocently, trying to negotiate.

"Bugger." Jack didn't listen to her last sentence. He sailed to this island, because he knew about the rum. True, Elizabeth burned a greater part of it, but luckily she didn't know there were two places the rum was hidden. Jack still admired himself for not telling her, the consequences would have been catastrophic. No rum left to return for. But Chris Morgan was even worse when left alone with rum than Elizabeth. True, she didn't have the habit of burning it, but she sure was one hell of a drunkard. For a woman, even for a pirate. She could actually drink more than Jack himself, for which Jack simply hated her.

"Look, luv. I came here for the rum. And I find yer here, drinkin' _me_ rum."

"_Yer_ rum?! So far I know, I'm on this island first when ya come claimin' the rum for yaself!"

Jack was beginning to get angry, his famous smile slipping from his face.

"I was marooned on this island twice! That makes the rum _me_ rum!"

He shouted angrily flailing his hands in all directions wildly. Then he thought for a while and he realized his advantage. He put on his grin again.

"As far as I know, yer have two options, luv. I and me crew take the rum _and_ yer sorry little existence to Tortuga, _or_ I and me crew take the rum and _leave_ yer sorry little existence right here."

He really enjoyed being the king of the situation. He flashed his gold teeth and then leaned closer to her.

"And just between the two o' us, yer know it's a fair deal, considerin' what yer did to me last time, aye? But still, I'm willin' to take yer. For the sake of ol' times." Another broad grin appeared on his face as he leaned even closer to her and whispered the last words.

Chris was frowning.

_For the sake of __ol' times, sure. Of all people that could accidentally come around this bloody island, it 'as to be Jack._

"Alrigh', take me to Tortuga." She answered resignedly, knowing it's still her only chance to get back to shore and not rot right here.

Jack grinned again. This was going much better than he expected. To squeeze most of the advantage he had, he leaned even closer to her and smirked. " 'Course, luv. But yer know, it'll still have a price."

Chris gave him a disgusted look and turned to board the ship. Jack wanted to follow, but was stopped by Gibbs.

"Jack, do ya really want her on board? You know who she is an' all and who's after her. Not even mentionin' she's a woman."

"Don't worry, mate."


	2. Chapter 2

_note: surprisingly, I don__'t own POTC, if I did, I wouldn__'t write this..._

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Jack was standing aboard his beloved Pearl, watching the crew taking the rum below. He watched every single bottle being taken below with loving eyes, so he didn't notice when Chris went past him right into his cabin. When all rum was safely aboard, he told the crew to set sails and went into his cabin. Chris was sprawling in his bed.

_Nice, I didn't even need to persuade her…_

He stopped for a while, eyeing her. She changed; it's been so many years. He had to admit that she was even more beautiful than she has been before. Brown skin, dark brown hair with streaks of blonde and red and piercing, stunning blue eyes you wouldn't expect.

_I'm not__ in love with her… I mean I never was… It's been too many years since we had this… ah…this little accident… I can't be in love… I'm definitely not in love with this wench that betrayed me!!! Why? Ha, 'cause I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, that's why… Right, that's it, mate. Behave yerself. _

He went to the bed and laid himself next to her.

"Yer know, luv, yer owe me." Jack said to the ceiling with a smug smile. "Remember back on the island I told yer …"

"I'll pay as soon's I can. Right now I don't 'ave no gold, as ya must 'ave noticed."

"Well, you _can_ pay right now, luv. It don't need to be gold." Jack's grin broadened and propped himself on his elbows and leaned in closer. She pretended she didn't notice. He was staring at her intently and she pretended she didn't notice that either. But Jack was hard to get rid of when he set his mind onto something.

"What?!"

"I'm waitin'." Another grin and a flash of golden teeth.

"For?"

"Yer apology."

"What?!"

"Yer apology for when yer betrayed me."

Chris was staring in disbelief.

"Ya ain't gonna forgive me, never."

"No, I won't forgive yer, but I still wanna hear it, luv."

Jack was getting at her nerves. But she was still silent. Maybe if she ignored him long enough, he would give up. Oh, how naïve.

"Or should yer need some remindin' of how I saved yer?" He asked, happy how he was getting to her. When silence was all he got, he continued, staring at her for reactions.

"Once upon a time… there was a lass. Nice little thin', apparently from high society, about fifteen years of age, all alone in bloody Tortuga, wantin' freedom but not knowin' how to achieve it. And one day, a handsome young captain, _me_ as it were, found her. He offered her freedom she longed for. He took her aboard his ship, taught her how to handle a sword, how to navigate ships and use maps, how to drink rum. He made her a pirate. That's what she wanted. She enjoyed it all immensely. But she enjoyed most the nights when she was alone with her captain in his cabin and they –"

"Enough!"

She sprang to her feet, standing beside the bed, giving Jack who was still lying on the bed comfortably, a dangerous look. She hated being reminded of her mistakes. And meeting Jack Sparrow was the biggest mistakes of all. Well, having a relationship with Jack Sparrow was the biggest mistake of all, actually.

"I saved yer, I gave yer everythin', luv. And yer stabbed me in the back and left me there when yer knew what was comin'."

In the meantime Jack also sprang up, facing her, gun in his hand, pointing at Chris, not so calm any more.

"Yer know, I shot Barbossa for the betrayal and the mutiny thin'. So gimme one good reason why I shouldn't shoot yer for yer betrayal of leavin' me there to be mutinied upon. Eh?! Answer!" Jack was getting impatient and dangerous.

"_I didn't wanna be marooned with ya__ for ya poor captainship…" No, no, that definitely wasn't a good aswer. Alright, let's try somethin' else._

She decided to bet everything on the feelings she knew he once had for her. Even though he never admitted he had them. A woman's instinct. She looked him straight in his dark eyes with her own piercing blue ones and said as calmly as possible.

"Alright, shoot. I betrayed ya, I deserve the same as Barbossa."

Jack cocked his pistol. Chris's eyes widened.

_Oops, wrong strategy…?_

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_thx for reading, review pls ... _


	3. Chapter 3

_To Princess-Maiden: sorry, I disagree, that was a perfect idea :)__ (and I am hardly ever satisfied with my own ideas…)_

_Otherwise, thx much for reading and reviewing, if you have any special wishes as to what would you like to happen next, let me know, I'll be happy to oblige, __'__cause I__'__m wiriting this for you guys...  
_

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Chris didn't dare speak, even breathe.

The next thing she knew the gun was fired.

_Damn it…_

The crew on the deck heard it and they all turned in the direction of the cabin, but Gibbs was clever enough to calm them down and assure them that these are captain's private things and if he needed them he would call.

The bullet missed Chris's right ear very nearly and buried itself into the wood of the cabin wall. Jack plastered his famous grin on his face again like nothing happened and came swaying to Chris.

"That was close, wouldn't yer say?"

Chris was still unable to talk. So he swayed past her to examine the hole with the bullet in the wall.

"But yer ruined me cozy cabin."

He said with an offended look and indicated the hole by flailing his hand holding the gun. Still no answer.

_Damn her, I don't shoot her and she won't even say thank you, Captain Sparrow! Why didn't I shoot her? Right, I may need her, I may use her, I like her. No, no, no, forget the last part. _

"So, luv, wouldn't yer say that yer owe me even more now than before? 'Cause I would say yer do. But yer know I'm not greedy, right, so let's just say that a kiss will make it all alright, eh? What say yer?"

Jack said, wrapping his hand round her shoulders, sticking the gun back where it belonged and congratulating himself how nicely he thought it up that he will get his kiss. Chris just looked at him in disbelief.

"A kiss? A single kiss will make ya forgive me betrayal?"

Jack pretended thinking for a moment.

"For now, luv, aye. Yer see, if Barbossa were a nice lass like yer are, I wouldn't have shot him either…"

"Jack Sparrow, ya are a crazy pervert!"

"_Captain_ Jack Sparrow, luv."

_This is just crazy, really. But around Jack, what isn't. A kiss. Ts. But better than death. _

"A nice kiss."

"Alright."

"A long kiss."

"Alright."

"A passionate kiss."

Chris rolled her eyes.

"Alright!"

"With tongues and all."

"Jack!!"

_Alright, don't push yer luck, mate. Yer got what yer wanted._

So with no more thought, Jack's arm sneaked around her waist, pulling her closer. His other hand went into her hair. Just before their lips touched, a smug smile appeared on his face. The kiss really lasted long, and was passionate and there were "tongues and all". Just like the old times. But of course neither of them admitted that. When it was over, Jack put on his I-always-get-what-I-want smile and went to be captain of his ship for a while. Gibbs waited on the deck for him.

"Cap'n, yer alright? The shot and all-"

"Of course I'm alright, Master Gibbs. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. No worries. But I need rum."

"I'll get yer some, Cap'n."

Jack nodded, turned around and was swaying to the helm. Gibbs turned around to get the rum, but bumped into Chris who was holding a bottle of rum in each hand already.

"Hey, Jack, 'ow about we celebrate meetin' each other again after so many years, eh?"

Chris slurred. Jack turned around.

_How the hell can she be drunk already? How many of me precious bottles did she drink already? She is even worse with rum than Elizabeth! _

"How the hell did yer find me rum?! Master Gibbs, didn't I tell yer to hide the rum?"

"Aye, Cap'n, sorry. This be the reason I told yer we shouldn't take her aboard..."

Jack shot Gibbs a dangerous look. Gibbs muttered an apology and got out of sight. Jack looked at Chris again. She was swaying there, almost like him, bottle in each hand and both bottles half empty. He came to her, took one bottle from her, wrapped his arm around her shoulders and they were both swaying to the helm.

"Aye, let's celebrate." He looked down at her, smiling.

He wanted to use this opportunity to get her drunk enough, even though that was always hard her being able to drink more than him, to get past only a kiss. They were almost at the helm when they heard Gibbs shouting.

"Cap'n, a ship! A Navy ship!"

"Bugger."

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_Again, thx for taking your precious time to read this…_


	4. Chapter 4

_Sorry for the late update…_

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"Bugger."

Jack muttered, dropped his hand from Chris's shoulders and took out his spyglass to have a look. Sure enough, there was a ship on their tail. A ship flying the colors of the East India Trading Company.

_No, not good. _

Chris suddenly snatched the spyglass out of his hands to look for herself. But she didn't let go of her two bottles of rum, so she was balancing the spyglass in her hands in a funny way, trying not to let the bottles fall. If the ship wasn't gaining on them quite fast, which surprised but also quite terrified Jack, given the fact that the Pearl was supposed to be the fastest ship around, he would even laugh at the sight of Chris.

"Mr. Gibbs!"

"Aye, Cap'n."

"Do we have full canvas?"

"Aye, sir."

"Bugger."

The Company's ship was soon in range. Jack was busy at the helm, trying with all his skills and experience to avoid the cannonballs. Still, the Pearl was taking a hit every now and then, and Jack jerked every time his beloved Pearl took a hit. The crew was busy loading their own cannons and returning fire and the rest of them was just holding on the deck for the time being, preparing for the face-to-face fight. Gibbs was busy ordering everyone around and Chris just stood next to Jack.

"Ain't this supposed to be the fastest ship?" She asked sarcastically, half drunk.

Jack shot her a dangerous look, took the bottle from her hand and drained it. This was quite a desperate situation. Without the advantage of being faster, Jack knew the odds didn't look very good given that the Company's ship had about twice the crew he had and if they boarded them… But he definitely wasn't going to give up the Pearl without a hell of a fight. Chris drained the second rum bottle, gave Jack an encouraging look and went to join the rest of the crew preparing to fight.

The next thing Jack knew, the Pearl was being boarded. Swarms of Company's men were suddenly on board. He saw Chris fighting three at once but then had to shift his attention to the men that got to the helm to him. Jack managed to kill the first one very quickly but then suddenly there were four more. One of them succeeded in slashing Jack's arm deeply and he let go of his sword and clutched his arm in pain. The sailor looked satisfied. Suddenly there were five men cornering Jack. He shot them all a grin and asked innocently, "Parlay?" When the crew saw their captain was taken they surrendered at once. Not that there were too many of them left. On the other hand, there were also quite a few dead bodies of the enemy. Chris's nose was bleeding and her arms were covered in small bleeding scratches. Gibbs had a deep cut in his right thigh and Cotton's parrot was short of its tail feathers. All the remaining crew was brought on board the Company's ship. In the middle stood a smaller but very importantly looking man with a satisfied look on his face. Both Jack and Chris were roughly shoved before this man.

"Well, well. If it isn't our lovely couple again. I sail to Port Royal and look what I find."

Both Chris and Jack sobered up this very instant. Cutler Beckett. Jack twisted his lips in disgust.

"Well, well, if it isn't out _beloved_ Cutler again." Replied Chris sarcastically with hatred in her voice.

"Oh yes, I share your feelings, my dearest former fiancée."

"What?" Jack's jaw fell open when he turned to Chris.

"Ah, I see you have a lot to talk about." Beckett had an evil smile on his face. "Chain them together, so they can share their mutual feelings and lock them in the brig. Oh and Christina, your father died two days ago."

The men did so and Jack found himself in the cell chained to Chris. The rest of the crew was in a separate cell.

"That's interesting." He said, trying to make Chris talk. Meanwhile he untied the bandana he had around his waist and tied it around his cut arm instead. Chris said nothing, but sat down. The chain joining them was short, which jerked Jack to the floor with her. He muttered something angrily, positioned himself comfortably and watched Chris.

"So?"

"So?"

"So I see yer still keep secrets from me, luv. Yer never told me yer loved ol' Cutler." He said mockingly.

"'Cause I didn't love 'im."

"Alright."

Chris sighed.

_Why does the stupid 'istory 'as a 'abit of catchin' up with me?_

"Alright. Back in Tortuga, when ya found me. I didn't tell ya the whole truth."

_Surprise surprise._

"My real name is Christina Mackenzie. My grandfather is one of the founders of the bloody East India Company. One day a new man was 'ired by the Company. And me father liked 'im and thought it would be a smart match for me so 'e promised me to 'im. I ran away. I 'ated 'im. Them. Both. But me father still 'oped that if the Company fetches me back, he can change me "back to normal". That´s why I was never 'anged or branded a pirate even though I was caught. But now me father died…" Chris trailed off. She hated her history. She hated who she has once been. A lady in dresses. No freedom.

"That's interesting." Was all Jack managed to say when he picked up his jaw from the floor.


	5. Chapter 5

_here is the next part, enjoy (I hope you will) :)_

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"Now ya tell me 'ow ya got to know our dearest friend Cutler."

"Well, me story's simple, luv. I decided to be a pirate. I was young and stupid and mutinied upon and caught by the East Indian Company and that's how I met our dear friend. That's just it."

Chris had a feeling Jack wasn't telling her everything. He loved telling stories, especially about himself, exaggerating a lot, but now he didn't. But she decided it didn't matter. The journey to Port Royal would take about four five days she estimated. And then…

She decided to get some sleep and shifted to lean against the wall. Jack was once again jerked by the chain.

"Yer know, luv, after all, it ain't that bad, yer see. We have this cozy little cell all for ourselves, and about five days of complete privacy. Might as well take advantage of this opportune moment, aye?"

During speaking Jack leaned so close to Chris that their noses were almost touching.

"Aye."

Chris answered and leaned even closer, so now their lips were almost touching. Jack grinned and leaned in for a kiss. Chris brushed her lips against his quickly and jerked back.

"I'm takin' this opportune moment to get some sleep."

She said, leaned back and shut her eyes.

_Why didn't I just kill her?!_

Those five days were passing very slowly for Jack and Chris. Cutler didn't show his ugly face even once and there even were no guards to talk to. They were getting water and some meal that looked like scraps from Cutler's dinner table only once a day. And Chris admitted to herself that she wouldn't be at all surprised if they really were. Plus there was no rum. All this started getting on the nerves of both of them. They spent the whole second day arguing and blaming each other for everything that happened between them in the past, that was happening now and even whose fault the future events will be. By the third day Chris had just enough.

"I 'ave a plan."

"A plan? Yer know that when yer have a plan and plan to do everything according to plan that things will never go according to said plan? That's why it's better to have no plan, 'cause than there's no things that couldn't go according to plan. Savvy?"

Chris rolled her eyes.

"Just listen. I know Cutler and-"

"Oh, so yer _know_ Cutler." Jack said mockingly.

"_Yes_, I know Cutler, but not-"

"And just how well yer know him, luv?"

"Bloody 'ell, Jack, stop startin' an argument _again_, shut up and listen!"

Now it was Jack's time to roll his eyes. He liked angering Chris, the time passed quicker if they quarreled.

"As I said, I know Cutler," at this Jack opened his mouth but then closed it again, "so if we pretend we wanna kill each other right 'ere, 'e'd come to check, 'cause 'e'd 'ate to 'ave nobody to 'ang. And we can use that opportune moment and try to escape, free the rest of the crew and take this bloody ship by surprise. It's night, most people'll be sleepin'."

Jack though for a while.

_What the hell. Ain't nothing better to do here anyways.__ And we could succeed._

"Alright, luv."

They lunged for each other, which was quite hard because of the chain binding them together. It would probably look even funny to an observer if there was any. But they succeeded in making enough noise by screaming and shouting obscenities at each other and crashing into the bars that finally they heard rushing footsteps on the stairs which lead to the brig.

By the time Cutler and five other men got to the cell to open the doors, Chris was pretending to throttle Jack who was putting on quite a performance of choking noises and popping eyes and he also managed to hoarsely call for help. When the five men crammed themselves into the cell to yank them apart, Chris and Jack shifted their attention from each other and threw themselves on them. Cutler's soldiers didn't expect it, so two were taken care of by the first blows. The remaining three tried to pull out their swords but that proved to be impossible in the small space the cell was providing. Then one of the soldiers succeeded in punching Jack so hard in the face that he was taken back a few inches by the power of the blow, jerking Chris back with him. That was the crucial moment. The next moment Chris and Jack found themselves pinned to the wall by the three soldiers. The fight was over. Cutler stepped into the cell with a victorious smile.

"Under any other circumstances I would gladly just watch you two kill each other, but as my duties are to hang you in Port Royal... "

He nodded to his men and left. The men unshackled Chris and Jack from each other and because there were no cells left to separate them into, they chained them separately at each end of the bars instead, so they couldn't reach each other and then left as well.

"Nice plan."

Jack muttered as he felt his face for the black eye that would form itself tomorrow.

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_thx for reading... reviews pls_


	6. Chapter 6

_Princess Maiden: what did you think would work? the escape? nah, that would ruin the next chapter :)_

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The fifth day in the morning they finally arrived to the docks of Port Royal. Jack and Chris were taken out of the brig, chained again and escorted by Cutler's men aboard the ship. The sunlight struck them both hard in the eyes so they had to shield them for a while before they adjusted to this amount of light. The brig was rather a dark place. Then they were unceremoniously shoved down the gangplank to the docks and escorted by a cordon of armed soldiers through the whole town up to the fortress where the cells were. It was quite a procession and soon all the inhabitants of the town watched them. Once they were down in the cells, they were once again shoved through the doors into a common cell without a word.

Cutler and his personal guard went up to the Governor's office and went in without knocking. Governor Swann was in the middle of some dealings with Commodore Norrington and they both looked up at the intruder. Before they could say anything, Cutler spoke.

"Good morning, Governor Swann, Mr. Norrington. I am Lord Cutler Beckett of the East India Trading Company and as of this moment I am officially in charge of this town. So if you will please be so kind as to leave my office."

He said it without any emotions. The Governor and the Commodore looked at each other but none of them was able to speak.

"These are my appointing letters from the King. And these are the warrants of arrest for you, Commodore Norrington."

He nodded and the guards shackled Norrington at once.

"And these other two are for Elizabeth Swann and William Turner. They are being arrested as we speak"

The guards took the still speechless Norrington out.

"No! Elizabeth no! What has she done?"

"I believe it has to do something with a certain man called Jack Sparrow. And please Governor, do not try to pretend you do not know what this is about. And now, if you will excuse me, I have work to do here."

The Governor left defeated and knowing that there was nothing more to say, he went to see what was with his daughter.

Jack and Chris heard footsteps coming down the stairs and then they saw Will and Elizabeth taken to a cell.

"Jack?"

"Elizabeth? Will?"

"Jack?"

"Aye."

Will and Elizabeth were locked into the neighboring cell. According to Jack, Elizabeth looked beautiful as always, even though her dress was ruffled and stained by mud. And Will, he also just looked the same as always.

"Nice to see yer again, Lizzie, luv."

"What are you doing here?" Will asked, ignoring Jack's comment.

"Waitin' to be hanged I guess. What're yer doin' here?"

"Waiting to be hanged for helping you, I guess."

"Who is that?" Asked Elizabeth, noticing someone else in Jack's cell.

"Chris Morgan." She introduced herself.

"Jack, by any chance, are those two _that_ Will and _that_ Elizabeth ya said they'd 'elp us outta 'ere?"

Elizabeth and Will exchanged a glance. Jack turned to Chris and smiled uncertainly.

"Aye."

"Nice plan." Chris muttered and leaned against the wall and closed her eyes.

"Jack, who is she?"

But Jack didn't have time to answer Will's question. Two guards came leading Norrington, locked him into another cell, unlocked Jack and Chris's cell and took them both out. They were lead into the former Governor's office. Cutler was standing by the fireplace in which wood cracked and three other guards were there with him. Jack noticed a poker being heated up in the flames. He grimaced. He knew this too well. Cutler saw his expression and smiled coldly.

"Do not worry, Sparrow, today you are here only as a spectator. And I will take this from you."

Cutler said and snatched the compass from Jack's belt. Then he nodded and two of the guards grabbed Chris and forced her into the only chair in the room. She didn't resist. She knew this was coming all along. And she definitely wasn't going to show what Cutler was waiting for – fear, desperation and disgrace.

"Dear Christina, I have been looking for this occasion for a long time. In fact, from the moment you ran away and made me look stupid. I have been refused this chance by your father as long as he lived. That foolish hope of his to bring you back and make you a _lady_ again. You never were a lady to start with."

He snorted. He nodded again and the remaining soldier took the white-heated poker and came closer to Chris. She was being held down by two other soldiers now. The poker was coming closer to Chris's right hand which was pinned to the table. Jack was silent, he knew there was nothing he could do and he was restrained by two men.

"Stop."

Beckett's voice said. Both Jack and Chris looked at him in surprise.

"I thought of a much better place on your body to have this lovely P on."

He said coolly and pointed his short finger to Chris's forehead. The guard with the poker moved closer.

"Why don't ya do it yaself, ya coward?!"

Chris growled through gritted teeth and everything else happened quickly from then on. She managed to catch a glimpse of Jack from the corner of her eye – he was wrestling with the men holding him and was shouting one obscenity after another at Beckett. Beckett was smiling and then she just smelled burning flesh and searing pain on her forehead. She gritted her teeth and forbid herself to satisfy Cutler with her screaming. She closed her eyes. The moment seemed like eternity. Finally she couldn't hold on any longer and screamed and then there was nothing but darkness.

Cutler had an evil smile of satisfaction plastered on his face. Chris's limp body was taken by one of the guards and Jack was being shoved through the door by the other two, still yelling obscenities at Cutler.

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_so what do you think? I tried to make Cutler a slimy and cruel coward because I see him as such..._


	7. Chapter 7

_Princess Maiden: I don't think it was too harsh, because I believe Beckett would do it. He is just a cruel person. Oh and thank you, my (almost) only reviewer, appreciate it…_

_And sorry that this chapter is shorter, but that happens when you write it at midnight…_

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Chris opened her yes. It took a little time to focus. She was back in the cell, lying on the floor with her head in Jack's lap. Her forehead was on fire. She raised her chained hands to touch it, but Jack caught her by the wrist. She looked up at him. He smiled sadly.

"That wouldn't be wise, luv."

"'ow does it look?"

"It'll be fine."

"That's not the answer to the question."

"It doesn't look that bad."

"Don't lie, Jack."

"Alright, luv. It's all swollen and there are bloody blisters all around the place."

Chris sat up and saw Will and Elizabeth looking at her. Rather at her forehead. Elizabeth seemed to be in quite a shock. She opened her mouth several times but then closed it again, unable to find the right words of comfort. Chris noticed a man in a wig in another cell. He was also eyeing her forehead. She didn't have an idea who he was. But that didn't matter. She had to do something to stop everybody staring and pitying her.

"'ow do we get outta 'ere?"

"You are not getting out of here, if you mean the cell. You are, however, getting out of this whole world tomorrow."

Cutler was standing there, a smug smile on his face and Jack's compass in his hand. Everyone turned to him. If looks could kill, Cutler would be dead at least a hundred times over.

"Do you happen to know, Sparrow, where it points to when I open it?"

Cutler asked, swinging the compass in his fingers. Jack didn't even try to correct him on "Captain Sparrow".

"To me, I guess. The thin' you want most in this world is me…. _dead_."

"Correct. But that all shall pass tomorrow when all of you will be hanged and the compass will start pointing to the next thing I want most in this world."

"Pray tell, what is that?" Jack asked wearily, not really interested, and not really caring.

"Isla de Muerta."

But this answer jerked him back to focus, his eyes widened and his jaw fell to the floor. Elizabeth also looked surprised. Chris looked indifferent. Nothing Cutler said could surprise her any more.

"I didn't know your goals were so provincial." Will sneered.

"But the treasure is cursed." Elizabeth said.

"I am well aware of that, Miss Swann. But it also provides you with immortality. And what better chance of success to eliminate every single pirate from this world is there, than being immortal?"

Cutler smiled coldly.

"Oh and Sparrow, you probably did not notice, as you were in the brig, but we towed the damaged Pearl all the way back to Port Royal, so that you can watch it be blown to pieces before you are hanged."

Then he turned to Chris, intending to annoy and hurt everyone he could, and said sarcastically, "You look lovely, my dear former fiancée" and left.

Elizabeth and Will looked at Chris with pity. They knew everything about her now; Jack told them when Chris was unconscious. But nobody said anything. A long silence followed in the cells. Beckett wanted to be cursed and immortal. To eliminate all pirates. Doesn't that sound absurd? Crazy? Insane?

"So, 'ow do we escape?" Chris asked.

"I think I can help you with that."

Governor Swann was suddenly standing there. Obviously nobody noticed him coming, they all were thinking about what Beckett said.

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_Oh yes, I know very well that this is not my best chapter... sorry :D_


	8. Chapter 8

_Princess Maiden: Yeah, forever. Jack has his also forever, doesn't he?_

_Ok, this chapter is longer..._

_--------------- _

"Father!"

Elizabeth cried happily and pressed herself against the bars to be closer to him. The Governor kneeled before the bars and put his hands through to console Elizabeth. Commodore Norrington looked stunned at seeing the Governor there, moreover, at hearing that he is going to help them escape. Chris eyed the man in the long and fluffy grey wig and Jack just grinned.

"Yer'll be needing to find the dog with the keys, if yer really wanna help us."

The Governor was pulled out from his thoughts.

"Oh, yes."

And he went off calling for the filthy dog. They all watched him disappear around the corner, then they heard some growling and a yell and then the Governor was back with the keys, his hand dripping blood.

"Father."

"It is nothing, Elizabeth, now you all go quickly, the Pearl is in the dock, from what I have seen it is not much damaged, only there is a hole in its right side…"

"Starboard side, mate."

Jack rolled his eyes as he passed the Governor who just opened their cell. This man obviously knew nothing about ships. As Chris pushed pass the Governor, his eyes noticed the mess on her forehead, and he grimaced. In a while, they were all out of the cells and out of their chains. Jack was taking his effects from the wall opposite, Chris was kneeling and doing something near Jack.

"Father, come with us." Elizabeth pleaded.

"No, Elizabeth, you go quickly, before someone comes here."

"I won't leave without you, father."

"You will, Elizabeth, because if you stay here, you will be hanged, and I will not allow that."

"But you may get hanged as well, if Cutler finds out-"

"I will take care of myself, Elizabeth, now, hurry."

"Thank you."

She threw herself in his arms, but was soon pulled away by Will.

"We really must hurry, Elizabeth. I will look after her."

Will promised the Governor. Elizabeth looked around her shoulder to see her father as she was being pulled away. She knew it might be the last time she sees him. Then she followed Will and Chris and Jack and his whole crew up the steps into the cold and dark night. Surprisingly, Commodore Norrington didn't say a word about justice and pirates and joined them all as well.

It was raining as they all hurried unnoticed through the darkness to the docks. There were only a few guards. The crew took care of them quickly and noiselessly. They reached the gangplank and boarded the Pearl. The crew immediately started preparing to sail off. Jack was observing the damage to his beloved Pearl. It was not that bad. Only a couple of hits from the cannons, but nowhere to endanger safe sailing. Will and Elizabeth disappeared below deck together and Norrington found a bottle of rum and leaned against the railing, not minding the rain.

"So, yer sailing with us, eh?" Jack asked Norrington.

"Yes, Sparrow, because it is all your fault and I will not be hanged just because of you."

"Alright, but it's _Captain_ Sparrow, and yer won't be drinkin' me rum."

And he snatched the bottle from his hand, emptied it, tossed it back at Norrington and swayed into his cabin.

The Pearl's sails were catching wind and the ship was slowly pushed out of the bay of Port Royal, the rain still washing its decks, the working crew and Norrington.

Jack found Chris in his cabin, sitting on the bed, looking into the only little dirty mirror that was aboard the ship, examining her forehead. She didn't hear him come. He took another bottle of rum which stood right next to the door and came behind her, and pushed the rum bottle right before her face. She jumped with surprise, but then smiled. She took the bottle and took a long swig. Jack took the mirror out of her hands, but she reached for it. He dropped it and pretended it was by accident. It shattered into million pieces.

"Oops."

Chris frowned at him.

"Yer don't need it, luv. Just ask ol' Jack and he'll tell yer. And ol' Jack says yer look beautiful as always, luv."

He slurred. The only bottle he drained so far was working quickly on him, being it the first rum after so many days. And it had similar effect on Chris. Jack went to his only drawer in the cabin, pulled it open and returned with a bandana. He sat next to Chris on the bed and tied the bandana gently around her forehead. Satisfied with the result, he grinned.

"Here yer go, luv."

"Thanks."

She mumbled and emptied the bottle. Jack took it out of her hand. He felt like kissing her. So he took his chance and leaned in and kissed her. To his surprise, she didn't protest, or yell, or slap him or whatever, but she returned his kiss. After a while, he pulled away and smirked.

"Just like the ol' times, eh?"

"Aye."

And they crawled under the covers together.

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At dawn, the first thing Cutler did was look out of his window to see the Pearl gone. He immediately summoned his guards and ran down the stairs leading to the cells, only to find them all open and all prisoners gone. He raged, stomping around, until he noticed a small dirty crumpled piece of paper lying on the floor. He picked it up and unfolded it. He immediately recognized Chris's handwriting.

_Yo, ho, haul together_

_Hoist the colors high,_

_Heave, ho, thieves and beggars, _

_NEVER shall we die…_

This was the first time Cutler yelled obscenities aloud. He torn the paper into small pieces and stormed out of the cells. None if his men dared to follow close behind.

"Find Governor Swann!" He yelled back at them.

But Governor Swann was nowhere to be found.

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_please review if you read it and tell me what you think, don__'__t be shy..._ :)


	9. Chapter 9

_Very sorry I didn't update much sooner... busy busy... but this chapter is the longest so far, hope you will enjoy it  
_

_Thx for all the reviews,  
_

_Calypso Calista: I wanted it to be hazy, to develop the character's history slowly and such. I hope you like this chapter better :)_

_Princess-Maiden: thx as always, mate _

_captain katia: thx, I hope you will keep reading andlike the chapters to come_

_---------------  
_

Cutler Beckett was yelling at his selected highest ranking officers for about half an hour now. He was totally berserk. He was pacing around his office and yelling, gesticulating quite wildly, resembling Jack Sparrow's hand gestures, the pirate whom he so much wanted dead. His wig was askew and a bunch of hair flew out of its tidy hairstyle and was flying around his head as he spoke. He was so out of himself that he ended up repeating several sentences all over again. When he realized that, he yelled at his men to ready his newest and fastest ship that they are leaving immediately. All of his officers shot quickly to be the first out the door, glad to get from under his eyes.

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When Chris woke up, Jack wasn't in the bed with her. No surprise, really. So she went out of the cabin onto the deck and she saw him at the helm, guiding his beloved ship through the waters glistening in the sun. She also saw the crew with Norrington repairing the damage done to the Pearl, and saw Gibbs with Will doing the ropes and arguing.

"I think we should go to Tortuga to get food and stuff." Gibbs was saying.

"No, Tortuga will be the first place Beckett will search." Will was rolling his eyes.

"Nay, it won't. Even Beckett doesn't think us to be _that_ stupid, he will think 'cause of this we will go somewhere else and he won't even bother to go to Tortuga. That's why _we_ must go there if we wish not to be found by him."

Will processed this for a moment.

"No, I still think Beckett will search that place nonetheless."

Gibbs opened his mouth to retort, but Chris wasn't listening any more. She noticed Elizabeth, sitting on the stairs leading to the helm, in someone's breeches and a shirt, bottle of rum in hand, a sad expression on her face. Chris decided to join her.

"'ello, there. Breakfastin' rum?" Chris asked and sat next to Elizabeth, taking the bottle from her and taking a swig. Elizabeth didn't even look at her.

"What's wron'?"

"My father."

"Oh…. Well I guess 'e 'll be alright. 'e 's a powerful man back in Port Royal with many connections, eh?"

"He was." Elizabeth sighed.

"'e 's not dead, Elizabeth. Men in such positions know 'ow to get outta some sticky situations, even though they don't look like it." Chris smiled trying to reassure Elizabeth. Elizabeth just stared blankly back and then sighed resignedly.

"You don't know that."

"Ya seem to forget that me father was also a powerful man. I saw 'im get 'imself outta much more nasty stuff." Chris smiled again, bitterly this time. This snapped Elizabeth back from her musings to reality.

"Oh, I am sorry. Of course. Jack told me this bit about you. How's your forehead?"

Elizabeth asked to give herself the opportunity to think about something else, looking at the blue bandana covering it that wasn't there yesterday.

"It'll be fine." Chris said with a smile, even though it still hurt like hell.

"You know," Elizabeth tried carefully, "I would also run away if I was to marry Beckett, even though I only saw him yesterday for the first time in my life."

Chris laughed. "Who wouldn't?" And took another swig of rum.

"I can't believe he did that to you." Elizabeth indicated her forehead.

"'e didn't do it. I mean…'imself." Chris added when she saw Elizabeth's confusion. "'e just gave the order. Like 'e always did."

"You mean, he was always so cruel?"

"Aye, since the day 'e was born. Tortured cats, dogs, any animals 'e could lay 'is 'ands on. But never actually did it 'imself. Always commanded 'is friends or servants to do it for 'im. 'e just loved watchin' anybody in pain."

Chris's face contorted as she remembered her own pain caused by Cutler.

"So you ran away."

Elizabeth offered helpfully, hoping Chris would tell her the rest of her life, because Jack didn't tell her much and Elizabeth was always curious. Plus she wanted to know how Chris could have survived so many years among pirates, especially Jack Sparrow.

"Aye, to Tortuga. Jack found me in Tortuga, took me aboard 'is ship and taught me 'ow to survive. But then there was the mutiny and we got separated, and met again only a couple o' days ago, after about what? Ten years? May be…."

Chris took another swig from the bottle to help herself remember and count the years correctly. _Just keep drinking_, thought Elizabeth. Chris was becoming rather talkative after half a bottle of rum. Curiosity got the best of her and Elizabeth was eager to find out about the mutiny. Jack never told her, even though she asked him to do so when they were marooned on that island together. And in the brig he just told her a little about who Chris was and that she betrayed him.

"'Got separated? '" That's what she called it.

"Well, aye. Jack told ya, didn't 'e?"

"Not the details, only something about your betrayal."

"I very possibly saved 'is life."

"By betraying him?" Elizabeth asked with doubt in her voice.

"Aye. I knew 'bout the mutiny. Possibility one, if I told Jack, 'e would wanna kill Barbossa straight away. But 'e didn't 'ave a chance in 'ell. The whole crew was against 'im by that time. They'd kill 'im. And me as well. Possibility two, if I told Jack and the crew wouldn't kill us both straight away, but maroon us, Barbossa would still give us only one pistol with one shot, making the whole island thing even worse for both of us. So the best course of action – jump ship and leave Jack to deal with it. As it turned out, I did save 'is life after all."

Chris grinned triumphantly. Elizabeth thought about it, and realized, even though it seemed completely wrong to betray a friend in such a way, that Chris's logic was completely right and successful in the end. Elizabeth took the bottle from Chris, who left only a few drops of rum left, and emptied it. Chris thought this to be a signal for the end of the conversation and started getting up. But Elizabeth's curiosity wasn't satisfied and she wanted to hear more, she realized that Chris was good company. Not exaggerating the stories like Jack. So she reached under the stairs and produced a new bottle of rum and smiled at Chris.

"Jack spoiled ya rather quickly." Chris said, and sat back down with a smile.

"What else do ya wanna know 'bout Jack, Elizabeth?" She asked and took a swig. Elizabeth blushed slightly.

"I wasn't enquiring about Jack's life, but about yours. "

"You don't 'ave to lie to me. I know ya rather like 'im."

Elizabeth blushed at this again.

"And as ya must 'ave noticed, 'e likes ya too."

Elizabeth blushed harder.

But again, curiosity got the best out of Elizabeth and she asked.

"Does he really?"

"Aye, for the same reason ya like 'im. 'e knows 'e can't 'ave ya."

Elizabeth was red from ears to toes. She grabbed the bottle from Chris and drank almost half of it at once.

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Jack was standing at the helm, looking down on the two beautiful women sitting on the stairs, talking and passing the bottle of rum between them. He took his time in eyeing both of them.

He loved Chris's beautiful suntanned brown skin, which made her piercing blue eyes even more fascinating. The blue bandana he gave her yesterday perfectly matched with them, her multi colored hair being tied by it a bit. She was half sitting half leaning on the steps in a very relaxed position. Her thin figure in breeches, boots and a loose shirt reminded him more of a man than of a woman. Jack also imagined the different scars he knew Chris collected on different parts of her body, including the most recent and most ugly one, hidden under the bandana. Her gestures were limited to swinging the bottle of rum to accompany her talk.

Elizabeth was rather different. Her skin was almost white from not spending her time on the sea but inside in some governor's house. Till now. Her eyes were dark brown, matching the color of her hair, which turned almost blond at the hair tips. She was wearing almost the same Chris was, but Jack still could see her figure was more womanly, with fuller breasts and broader hips. Jack rather liked that. She wasn't spread out on the stairs as Chris was; she was sitting like she would sit back in Port Royal in an expensive chair wearing an expensive dress.

Jack was abruptly yanked away from his thoughts by Will and Gibbs, who, when they realized they couldn't get the problem of where to sail to solve by themselves, went to Jack and demanded an answer.

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Cutler stood at the rail of his beautiful new ship, the Triumph, which caught the Black Pearl a couple of days before. He stood there alone, given that all of his crew still feared to get to near him because of his mood.

"Sail ho!"

Cutler heard and snatched the spyglass out of the hands of the poor soldier that brought it to him. The Black Pearl was still a little black dot on the horizon, but Cutler knew that his new ship would catch them soon enough.

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_thx again for reading, reviews are much much appreciated :)_


	10. Chapter 10

_Princess-Maiden: Thx for reviewing again. No, it's not going to follow the second or the third movie plots. However, as you have noticed, I have used some characters from them, as for example Cutler. I just like this character and writing him. I cannot help it, I just like the way he is cruel and malevolent. Sorry :) As for the love triangle… if you mean Jack, Liz and Chris, I guess it is a kind of a love triangle. But considering it from Jack's POV, it's always more lust than love, isn't it? But as I don't have the story planned out, we will just see where it takes me next, chapter after chapter. That's also why it's going so slow now… Enjoy_

Jack agreed with Gibbs and then disregarded them both, turning back to his thoughts about Chris and Elizabeth on the stairs. Will put on an angry and offended look when Jack told him that Gibbs was right, and stormed off like a little schoolboy. Jack saw him out of the corner of his eye.

_Still like a whelp._

Gibbs noticed Jack's look, directed at the two women, smiled knowingly and whispered.

"You should marry her, Jack, you know…"

"Aye, I know." Jack said absent-mindedly, and Gibbs left quickly, before Jack realized what he had just said.

"What? No! Gibbs? I don´t… Wait! Bloody Gibbs." Jack turned back to where Chris and Elizabeth were sitting.

_Which one did he mean, anyway?!_

But he wasn't given much time to think about it.

"Cap'n, Cutler is on our tail again, gainin' fast!"

_Bloody hell! How come this git has a faster ship?! Ain't. Bloody. Fair._

But then it dawned on him. The Pearl was loaded with loads of barrels with powder and cannon balls, by the order of Cutler himself, when he wanted to blow the Pearl to pieces before the hanging.

"Load the cannons, fire at will!" The crew rushed to obey. Jack saw even Norrington rush below decks to man a cannon.

_Will lighten me ship, and slow yer down, yer git._

Elizabeth and Chris ran up the stairs to the helm to Jack. The Pearl's cannons were soon ready and a shot after shot being fired was heard. Jack and Chris watched as some hit the target and some just whizzed harmlessly by the Triumph, as Elizabeth ran to find Will. The Triumph wasn't returning fire. Chris raised her eyebrows at Jack in surprise, but Jack looked as surprised as she did. However, the Triumph was still faster than the Pearl, and still gaining. Some of the holes that could be seen on the approaching ship didn't appear to do much damage, as none seemed to be below her water line.

Once again in very few days, the Triumph ended up next to the Pearl, towering above her, being a few decks higher. Once again, the Pearl's crew fought a lost battle. Once again, all the crew that escaped being killed were captured and brought on deck the Triumph. Once again, Cutler appeared before them with a triumphant smile. He walked past the lined-up prisoners, including Will, Elizabeth, Norrington, some others and of course Chris and Jack. He stopped before Jack, who fought the urge to kill this man on the spot.

"As you have probably noticed, I did not fire on your ship, Sparrow."

"Is that so?" Asked Jack sarcastically. Beckett rolled his eyes and continued.

"As sad as it sounds, I am inclined to negotiate with you."

Chris, Will, Elizabeth and Norrington were all shooting surprised glances at each other.

"Is that so?" Asked Jack again, seemingly unsurprised.

"Yes. I would not negotiate with you, of course, but unfortunately, I learned news in the morning, that forced me to do so."

Jack raised his eyebrows for Beckett to continue.

"I learned, from a very reliable source, that the treasure I want from Isla de Muerta can be claimed from the cave by a branded pirate only and therefore I need someone to get it for me."

Jack did his best to hold the laughter that was quickly building up inside of him_. From a reliable source_, of course. This whole only-a-branded-pirate thing was nothing but a rumor that Jack himself made up and spread after he got back from nearly being hanged in Port Royal, because he wanted to have the treasure to himself and this was a sure way of securing it. After all, pirates were superstitious and cowardly, and the punishment he thought up for any not-branded pirate who would try to take it was quite severe. However, Jack wondered how it could have gotten to Beckett. But after all, pirates were worse gossipers than old Tortuga whores.

_Anyway, nice move, Jack, now yer have something to bargain with. Let's see._

"Alright, let's say I'd get it for yer, what's in it for me?" Jack grinned but everyone else shot him a dangerous look. "I mean us." Jack wildly gesticulated with his hands to all his fellow prisoners.

"I will not hang the lot of you." Beckett said, not meaning to fulfill a single word of it. "You will leave the Caribbean waters, go pirating somewhere else, settle on land and start a family, I do not care, but if I catch any of you pirating in the Caribbean again, then you _will_ hang. Fair deal, is it not?" Beckett asked with a smile.

Jack considered his options.

_He very likely will not fulfill these terms. Our hanging is still too tempting for him to just let it drop. But still better than nothing. Besides, I can always also not fulfill the terms. That's against the Code. Never mind. I can just take the gold and disappear with the whole crew, the Pearl. Aye, I always find a way. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow._

"Well?" Beckett asked impatiently.

"Very well then." Answered Jack and held out his hand for Beckett to shake it. "Release us and we'll be on our merry little way to find yer little treasure, as it were." Jack turned around, not waiting for Beckett to shake his hand anymore and succeeded in taking two steps before he was stopped by two guards.

"Not so fast, Sparrow, do you really think I am that stupid? Of course I will keep one of your precious crew with me. So that you _return_ with the treasure." Beckett smiled coldly and Jack pursed his lips.

"You can choose who you want to leave with me, Jack. Elizabeth, or Chris?" He asked innocently.

Jack spun back around. Will started to wriggle in his guards' hold and shouted, "Elizabeth is not part of any bargain!", Elizabeth just froze cold, Norrington gaped and Chris snorted.

"What?" Asked Jack meekly.

"You heard me very well. Choose, Jack." Beckett wore a wicked grin now.

"But…" Tried Jack, but Beckett cut him off.

"Now, Jack, or I choose for you."

Jack looked desperately from Elizabeth to Chris, then to Will, who wore the most dangerous and killing look ever. Jack knew exactly what it meant. _Choose Elizabeth and you will not be alive to even get back aboard the Pearl, let alone get the treasure. But I can't choose Chris, just simply can't, Beckett'd…_

"I am waiting, Jack."

"Alright, I choose, after yer give me yer word that yer will return her completely unharmed."

"You are in no position for such a demand, Jack. The only word I will give you is that she will be _alive_ when you get her back."

Jack scowled. He didn't like the sound of "alive".

_From bad to worse, as usual. _

He looked at Elizabeth, who had a terrified look on her face now.

_I just can't give him Lizzie. She's so…so…fragile. But Chris…_

Jack's eyes darted to Chris. She was calm; she knew that Jack would never give Elizabeth to Beckett. She looked into his eyes and gave him an encouraging little nod and a small smile. Jack cringed when he thought of what Beckett would probably do to her. But still, he can't give him Lizzie.

"Jack?!"

Jack didn't know what to do. For the first time in his life, he felt utterly helpless.

"Jack?!"

"Chris, keep Chris with you."

Jack said, barely audible and closed his eyes. Beckett smiled widely, the first real content and complacent smile Chris saw on his face since that day she was promised to him. She looked at him with the same disgust she did that day, so long ago.

"How do I find you when I have the treasure?" Asked Jack. Beckett tossed him his compass.

"With this. By now the thing you want most in this world is me… _dead_." Beckett answered, then shook hands with Jack, who did so very reluctantly, and the rest of the crew started to return to the Pearl. Jack turned his head before stepping onto the gangplank that was joining the two ships to see Chris's hands being shackled behind her back. He gave her his best I-am-very-sorry look, cursed under his breath and swore to all sea gods to kill Beckett slowly and painfully.

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_as always, I am eagerly awaiting any reviews. thx for reading _


	11. Chapter 11

_Princess-Maiden: you made me laugh, actually – "I would have given dear dear Elizabeth"…thx again, I hope you will like what I planned out for this chapter, because I am going to use another character from the other two movies._

_foolon the hill: thx very much for stopping by, reading, and leaving a review_

_also thx to anyone else who stopped by, read, but didn't leave a review :)_

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"Jack!"

Will yelled after Jack, who stepped back on deck of the Pearl, yelled several orders to Gibbs, resisted the urge to look back at the Triumph and briskly walked to his cabin and slammed the door shut behind himself, completely ignoring Will. Will decided to follow Jack into his cabin. Elizabeth caught him by his shirt, a pleading look on her face.

"Will, leave him be."

"Elizabeth, we need a plan. And a heading."

Will wrenched his arm free, opened the door and determinedly walked in. Jack was standing by his table, gulping down a bottle of rum. The moment he heard the door open, he turned around and with all his might swung the bottle in the direction of the door, intending to hit anyone who didn't get that he wanted to be left alone right now. Will ducked just in time and the bottle flew out of the open door, nearly missing Elizabeth, who stood where Will left her, and shattered on the railing.

"Which of those two signals for leave-me-alone didn't yer understand, eunuch?!" Jack yelled, flailing his hands dangerously around that part of his body where his pistol was, when he saw that Will made no move whatsoever to leave.

"Jack, I...there…there was no other way…" Will tried meekly.

"Wasn't there?! Wasn't there, William? What about givin' _Elizabeth_ to Beckett, eh?"

Will opened his mouth, closed it and looked to the floor.

"I thought as much." Answered Jack and uncorked another bottle of rum and started to gulp it down. When he drank half of it and still didn't hear Will leave, he yelled again.

"Yer still here, eunuch?"

Will shifted nervously behind Jack's back.

"We need a plan, Jack, and a heading."

"A headin'." Jack mumbled and opened his compass. The needle pointed in the direction of the departing Triumph.

"Of course." Jack mumbled again and tossed the compass to Will. Will opened the compass and the needle pointed out of the open door of the cabin. Straight to Elizabeth.

"It's no use, Jack." Will said apologetically.

"Then find it on a map!" Jack yelled angrily again, grabbed several maps from the table and chucked them at Will. "Tia's place. _And get the hell outta me cabin before I kill yer_!" And Jack shoved Will out and slammed the door behind him.

Will had no idea who Tia was, but also had no time to ask Jack, as he threw him out so quickly. And going back there equaled death now. So he asked Gibbs instead, but didn't much like the explanation. _A witch_, Gibbs had said. _Great._

The voyage to Tia Dalma lasted two days. Nobody of the crew saw Jack these entire two days. He was locked in his cabin, obviously drinking the biggest amounts of rum ever, as the only sound that could be heard were clinking empty bottles. The crew was also unusually quiet, including Norrington, who just worked and slept, and Elizabeth, who if she didn't sleep, sat on the stairs and felt guilty for being free when Chris wasn't and wondering why Jack chose Chris and not her.

When they arrived at Tia's, Jack got out of his cabin, squinted his eyes into the sunlight and without a word seated himself into the longboat and waited for the others to row him to the hut.

"Jack Sparra." Tia greeted him with a smile that uncovered her black teeth. Then she looked over his crew and stooped when she reached Will. Her eyes sparkled. She put on her best smile and slid her hand across Will's jaw. Will gaped at her helplessly but Elizabeth caught Tia's wrist and gave her a murderous look. Jack's eyebrows got lost under his bandana as he stared unbelievingly at Tia.

_Someone actually _fancied_ the eunuch? Except Elizabeth, of course._

"Very well." Tia removed her hand and seated herself in the only chair in her junk crowded hut.

"Wod service may I do you?" She asked sweetly.

"Yer know the treasure of Isla de Muerta, I need yer to make me a replica of the Aztec medallion." Jack stated plainly.

Tia eyed Jack suspiciously.

"You know I demand payment." She snapped.

Jack gave her a sideways smile and snatched the parrot off Cotton's shoulder.

"A talkin' parrot." He said, handing it to Tia. Cotton made some gestures to protest and the parrot squawked "Abandon ship" and made to fly away, but Jack hold him firmly.

"Da payment is fair." She said and let the parrot perch on her shoulder.

"When you get da treasure, come back for da medallion." And she disappeared into the back room of her hut.

Jack piled with his crew back into the longboat and they rowed back to the Pearl.

The journey to the Isla de Muerta took them only one day, because this time, Jack stayed at the helm all the time and made the crew sail on full canvas to reach the cave as soon as possible.

When they stepped out of the longboat into the cave, a terrible smell hit them, the smell of a rotting body. Norrington tripped over the first pile of gold, stumbled and nearly fell. Elizabeth gasped. The cave looked exactly the same like when she had been here for the first time, and all the memories of that unpleasant experience came back to her immediately. Ragetti was examining a golden necklace and thought about how many glass eyes he could buy for all this. Will stood over the rotting body of Barbossa. Jack came by, pursed his lips, kicked Barbossa's corpse and continued to the chest of the Aztec medallions, which was sitting on top of the biggest pile of gold. He pushed the heavy lid aside and it slid down and made a shattering sound that yanked everybody out of their thoughts.

"Move it, mates."

It took the crew the whole afternoon to divide the medallions into smaller piles, not too heavy to transport on the longboats, and transport them back to the Pearl. Then they sailed back to Tia Dalma, where Jack received his fake medallion, which looked unrecognizable, and exchanged it with Tia for a real one. Finally Jack could use his compass to navigate him back to the Triumph and he followed the direction the needle was showing him with all haste. It was already about a week.

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_I admit, not my best chapter, but I am already working on the next one, with more twist, that should be better_ .._. reviews pls? _


	12. Chapter 12

_**Princess-Maiden:** I´m sorry it´s confusing. For the author it´s always clear :) Anyway, I have included a part in this chapter where Jack clears it all out for you (hopefully, as Jack´s explanations are usually confusing). And if you just go back to the previous chapter and read the message for you, you´ll find out that I´ve already answered if this is following DMC or not :) _

_**Foolon the hill**: thx again for reading, and I hope you´ll get lucky to post your story _

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The Triumph finally appeared on the horizon. A small dot that was slowly becoming larger and larger as the hours went by and the Pearl got closer and closer. Jack grew more anxious with every minute and kept staring through his spyglass almost constantly, wishing to see Chris onboard, waving at him, smiling and unharmed.

_Chris. Yer git. She'll never smile at yer again. She'll kill me the first chance she gets. Betraying a fellow pirate's against the Code. I had no choice. Yer did have a choice, yer git – Elizabeth. Why didn't yer give him Elizabeth? Why the hell wasn't I able to give him bloody Elizabeth? She'll never even kiss me, all she cares 'bout's the bloody eunuch. She despises me, she hates me. Chris's different. Different than Elizabeth. Different than all women, come to think of it. And I mean somethin' to her. I mean I meant. Before. Before I…Not anymore now. _

Jack was grabbing the wheel so firmly all his knuckles were white. The crew still held their distance from him, given that he would erupt with anger from time to time.

"Jack, is it going to work?" Jack didn't realize Elizabeth was standing next to him.

_How long was she stan__din' here?_

"What's goin' to work, luv?"

"Your plan."

"Ah. Of course it's goin' to work. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow." Jack grinned, but Elizabeth looked doubtful.

"Look, luv, anybody who wants the curse to work, to become immortal, to live forever, if yer call bein' a skeleton livin', anyways, if yer want it, yer have to posses all of the 882 pieces of the medallions, which Beckett won't, 'cause he'd have one fake one, that's why I left one real one with Tia, savvy? So, he just will be as always, un-immortal, slimy, wigged, betrayin' bastard. Until I kill him."

Elizabeth nodded in agreement and went to help the rest of the crew, who were preparing for a fight. The Pearl was still loaded with enough powder and cannon balls from Beckett to send at least three ships to Davy Jones's locker.All the cannons were being loaded and everybody did their share of work. Even Norrington, who somehow got into it all without complaining and he had to admit it to himself, that he rather liked this style of live. The medallions were all gathered on deck, waiting for Beckett.

When the Pearl anchored next to the Triumph a gangplank was erected between the two ships and this time it was Beckett and a few of his soldiers who came aboard the Pearl.

"Where the hell's Chris?" Jack darted at Beckett immediately and yelled in his face. A smile crossed Becket's lips but otherwise he remained calm.

"She will be brought over as soon as we count the gold and find all 882 pieces there."

Jack was killing Beckett with his eyes, but knew that nothing could hasten it all more than just leave Beckett to count his bloody medallions. Beckett nodded to his men who sat down and began counting. The Pearl's crew was ready awaiting Jack's killing order which would come as soon as the gold was counted and Chris was brought back aboard the Pearl, but the counting stretched forever.

"All pieces are there, Lord Beckett, exactly 882."

"You actually honored your part of the bargain, Jack."

Jack rolled his eyes impatiently. Beckett gave him a cold smile, took one of the medallions and nodded to his men. They gathered the gold and started moving it from one ship to another in small quantities, which according to Jack took another forever. When this was finally over as well, a soldier crossed the gangplank, carrying Chris over his shoulder. As he reached the Pearl he dropped her onto the deck and she hit it with a thud and a sound of bones breaking. However, she made no sound of pain.

_Was she dead already? No, we had a bargain. Do yer really trust Beckett to fulfill it, yer git?! _

Beckett stayed on the Pearl to savor his triumph, examining the medallion closely, knowing he cannot be killed. He watched as Jack and his entire crew stared fixedly on Chris's body. Her hair was caked together with dried blood; her clothes were torn, her entire skin was covered in scratches, bruises and deep wounds, dried blood everywhere. She had a black eye and her nose was in a weird angle, probably broken, as her right leg. It also seemed like she would have some internal injury, maybe a few broken ribs, a pierced lung, but Jack couldn't tell. All he could do was just stare at how Chris looked like.

Meanwhile, his crew was still waiting for his order. It wasn't coming.

Jack fell to his knees beside Chris, feeling for her pulse. He found some at last, barely noticeable. He took her by the hand, hoping crazily it could somehow comfort her, only to notice all her fingers on her right hand were broken. He shivered. He had never, never in his entire life seen anybody in such a bad shape, ever. After so many years at sea, after seeing so many nasty things, this was the worst. She was dying.

"See, I fulfilled my promise. You got her back alive." Beckett was smiling from ear to ear. "However, I am not intending to fulfill the part of our bargain that included not killing you on the spot."

Jack closed his eyes and took a deep breath to steady himself. Then he slowly got to his feet, took out his gun from his sash and pointed it straight at Beckett's head. He preferred not to kill people in cold blood. He had done that only once before, to Barbossa. He also preferred to shoot into the chest, not the head. It left the dead body at least with some dignity, even if the body's owner deserved to die. But Jack decided that Beckett didn't deserve such honor. Jack would enjoy all the blood splashed onto the deck of his beloved Pearl.

"You cannot kill me, Jack." Were Beckett's last words as he smiled and raised his hand with the medallion in it.

"Pity yer won't survive this to see that yer wrong." Jack said and pulled the trigger.

_Finally_, the signal for the crew. The Pearl's cannon fired their shots which hit the Triumph best they could have, mostly below the waterline. She quickly started to make water. Her crew didn't even have time to return fire. The Triumph finally ended on the bottom of the ocean, taking the cursed gold with her.

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_OK, I think** the next chapter is also going to be the last one**. ((Still thinking if I should let Chris die or not, so ... your opinions in the review, pls:)  
_


	13. Chapter 13

_saerie10: thx very much for reading and reviewing. About Chris – read and see :)_

_i.mpresario: thx very much for the review, however I must tell you that I don't hate Beckett. I just see his character as such. In fact, I like Beckett, really._

_Princess-Maiden: somehow I think you don't much like Elizabeth… :D_

_Once again, thank you all who read and reviewed. I apologize if the story was ever confusing (oh yes I twisted the curse a little bit, so what). And I am also sorry I have to make this the final chapter (I am leaving from my homeland, the Czech Republic, for Scotland, where I will be living, studying and working for a year, and I don't have any idea if I will have time to write. But I have my next story planned, so I hope I will. If you are interested, keep and eye on the horizon for the one that will be named "Jack Sparrow: the Name, the Hat, the Tattoo&__Beckett")._

_THX AGAIN_

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Beckett's body crashed to the floor, dead, and blood was everywhere. Elizabeth averted her eyes and pressed herself into Will's arms and Will lead her away. The fight was over, the crew were clearing the mess and throwing the dead soldiers' bodies overboard.

Jack didn't care. He picked Chris up and carried her to his cabin, where he laid her carefully on his bed and sat beside her. Nothing else mattered now, not the Pearl, not his crew, not even Elizabeth. Only Chris. Jack sighed. He didn't know what to do to make her stay alive, she was a pitiful sight.

_Chris looked around. Where was she? She didn't recognize the place. How could she? It was dark, pitch black. Still, there seemed to be nothing around. An empty space. She wanted to look at herself, maybe it will give me a clue. But she was unable to see anything, so dark it was. She touched her face and felt her nose was probably broken. She touched her hand with the other and felt scratches and cuts, but nothing hurt, like she was alright. She felt her body, her clothes were torn, but she was neither cold nor hot. Am I dead? She looked up again and straight ahead, there was a light, a small white light, like at the end of a tunnel. She turned around to see the same small light behind her. So a tunnel, then. Which way to go? She turned back and decided to go that way, since it was the way she was facing first. She took a few steps. No sound of her footsteps. She realized that there was also no sound of her breathing. The light didn't appear to be any closer. She started walking faster. The light was a little closer now, or did she just imagine it? She stopped and looked back. Yes, that light was definitely farther away now. She smiled a little and turned back to continue but stopped dead. Now there was a silhouette in the light. Still too far away to recognize. Should I continue or rather turn back? Chris decided to continue. The walking seemed like forever with the light and the silhouette not enlarging. She could run, to be there faster, but somehow she didn't think that to be a good idea. So she kept walking, and walking. Suddenly she thought she recognized the silhouette. Could it be…? _

Jack had several buckets of water brought into his cabin and yelled at everyone who wanted to help him with Chris to go to hell. When this didn't help, dead threats did, a little later. The crew didn't argue after seeing what happened to Beckett.

_The tri-corn hat, yes, of course. Chris grinned and broke into a run, no longer thinking it wasn't a good idea. Still no sound of her footsteps._

Jack started to wash away the blood from Chris's body and cleaning her wounds. He removed her once-blue-now-blood-red bandana from her head and found the P on her forehead the only thing that was a bit healed than it was last time he saw her. Jack very gently washed her face with a cloth and then proceeded to wash the dried blood out of her hair. It came off very slowly. The water in the bucket turned crimson very soon, as did the cloth. He chucked the cloth angrily to the other side of his cabin and took a new one and continued down Chris's body. The more dried blood he washed away, the more all the wounds and gashes became visible. All angrily red, some ragged at the edges and some started to bleed again, so he hurriedly scooped every at-least-a-bit clean cloth from around his cabin and proceeded to bandage these around the wounds as best he ever could, muttering curses.

_Chris was running as fast as she could. Still, the light with Jack seemed to draw closer only very slowly. Her grin faded and her face contorted with rapidly growing anger, but she kept running, ever faster, if it was possible, because it was hard to judge speed when nothing moved around, only the light, the agonizingly shining light in front of her, that seemed to have decided to be unable to be reached. _

Jack peeled off Chris's torn and ragged clothes, slowly and carefully, because it was stuck to her skin by dried blood in places. He cleaned all the wounds on her body and found his spare clothes and put them very carefully back on Chris, lifting her body only slightly, in case she had internal injuries.

_Chris was out of breath when she finally reached the silhouette in the light and realized it was really Jack. He looked down at her and grinned. His gold teeth caught the light for a while, but then Jack turned around and started to go away. Chris was baffled. What the hell…? She opened her mouth to call after him to come back, but no sound came out. Chris broke into a desperate run once again. _

Jack was almost finished. The last thing he did was to take off Chris's boots. Then he sat back on the bed beside her. She still looked bad, but much better nonetheless. She was in clean clothes, the most severe cuts bandaged and the rest at least cleaned. Her broken leg was positioned as it should be, and Jack also managed to do a splint using the only drawer he had, smashing it into pieces. He tried to do the same with Chris's broken right hand fingers, which proved to be much more difficult, but Jack tried. Her skin was still very pale, which made the cuts look even bloodier. Jack felt for her pulse. Still there. Still very feeble, but still there.

_When Chris caught up with Jack, she stepped right in his way. When screaming didn't work, what will? Jack smiled and outstretched his hand for Chris to take. She looked up into his inviting eyes, smiled and took his left hand into her right. The moment they touched, Chris's hand was grasped very tightly and she felt the bones in her fingers being crushed by that force and the light, that blinding white light turned crimson. She looked at her hand, unable to wrench herself from the connection. Then she looked back up to see why was Jack doing this to her. Beckett grinned evilly down at her instead. No, she started screaming, but again, there was no sound. So she started desperately to wriggle her hand free, but the more she tried, the more she could feel her bones being crushed. Beckett was still wearing that complacent grin and the crimson light made him look truly evil. And now, he started to drag her towards the light. There was only deafening silence. I am dead, this is hell. Chris forced her eyes to close._

Jack removed a lock of her hair from her face, where it got stuck because it was still wet. He wanted to tell her how sorry he was. He wanted to tell her how much she meant to him. He wanted to hell her how much he missed her all these years.

"Chris…" But words just didn't come.

_Chris's eyes flew wide open. Her hand was still being crushed by Beckett and he still continued to drag her forward, but she thought she heard Jack's voice calling her name. She definitely did. She must have. She turned around and expected to see him, but nobody was there. Even the white light from the other end of the tunnel was only a little dot, threatening to disappear at any moment. She called Jack's name, still no sound. The pain made her turn back to Beckett and try freeing herself again._

Jack just couldn't say it. It was all his fault. Only his. Unable to find the words, he at least took Chris's unbroken hand into his, hoping it would say everything he could not.

_After a while she turned back one last time, only this time Jack was there, his hand outstretched, inviting her to take it, just within her reach. Chris closed her eyes, hoping this time Jack was really Jack and took his hand and grabbed it hard, wishing the pain in her other hand stopped. And it did. Chris's eyes flew wide open in surprise. _

Jack felt as if Chris just squeezed his hand in which he was holding hers. Unbelievingly, thinking he wishfully imagined it, he turned his head to look at her. And her eyes flew wide open, and she drew a ragged breath.

It was about two months later, when Chris was no more in danger of dying, in fact, she was healing just fine, that Will and Elizabeth expressed their wish to leave the Pearl and live together on land. Will chose Tortuga, because Elizabeth didn't want to go back to Port Royal, and this way, they will be able to meet Jack when he makes port there, at least from time to time. Jack also agreed to marry them; being a captain of a ship, he could, in fact, perform a marriage. Norrington chose to go too, even though Jack tried to persuade him, just for fun.

When they arrived in Tortuga and Will, Elizabeth and Norrington were rowed ashore, and rum was rowed aboard, the Pearl set sails again.

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_thx thx thx for staying with me, and let me know what you think about the end, pls :) _


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